Increases in schistosomiasis linked with ecological impacts of dams
Dams block the migration of river prawns that eat snails which are intermediate hosts for schistosomiasis
Monthly Archives: July 2017
The importance of teaching disease ecology to the medical professionals of the future
Krisztian Magori, disease ecologist and Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at Eastern Washington University, argues for the importance of exposing future medical professionals to disease ecology as undergraduates, and provides examples of that from his class
Video blog: The effect of climate change on the fitness of fish and their tapeworm parasites
New research published in Parasites & Vectors finds that climate change may negatively effect cold water fish whilst benefiting their parasites. In the study researchers collected three-spined sticklebacks and tapeworms from both cold and warm water sites in Lake Mývatn, Iceland and measured the growth rates of both species at varying temperatures in a lab environment. Find out more about the research in this video.
Schistosome infections in snails alter snail physiology
Schistosoma mansoni, which causes intestinal schistosomiasis, is known to impact not only human and mammalian health but also the physiology and behaviour of its intermediate hosts – the freshwater snail (Biomphalaria spp). With breakthroughs in genome research, the genome of Biomphalaria glabrata was published in May 2017 (Adema et al 2017) and major proteome work is driving forward our understanding of key proteins involved in this host parasite system.
Space invaders…the dangers of fungi in space
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in space or on another world? One day it may be possible to do so, but whenever and wherever we colonize, we take with us our microbiota. Would they affect our ability to live beyond Earth? New research published today indicates that the health of space travelers could be negatively impacted by fungi in our microbiota.
Bad news for rainbow trout
Researchers report that the common eye fluke can alter the anti-predator behaviour of its fish host in different ways depending upon whether it is immature or an encysted larvae that can infect a fish-eating bird.